Report: Paterno lawyer says estate to sue NCAA

FILE - In this Sept. 12, 2009 file photo, Penn State coach Joe Paterno walks the field before their college football game against Syracuse in State College, Pa. The Hall of Fame coach died of lung cancer on Jan. 22, 2012, at age 85. On Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013, exactly a year after his passing _ community residents have organized a vigil at a downtown mural that includes a depiction of Paterno. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — The estate of the late Penn State coach Joe Paterno and several university trustees and former players are planning to sue the NCAA over the landmark sanctions against the university for the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, according to a report.

The Paterno family’s attorney, Wick Sollers is telling Bob Costas on the NBC Sports Network’s “Costas Tonight” show airing Wednesday evening that former coaches and faculty members are part of the suit. Excerpts from Costas’ exclusive interviews with Sollers and other representatives for the family were provided by the network.

A suit had not been filed as of Wednesday afternoon.

According to NBC Sports Network, Sollers said NCAA president Mark Emmert and Oregon State president Edward Ray — who was chair of the NCAA’s executive committee — also targeted in the planned litigation. The lawsuit also takes issue with the NCAA’s use of former FBI director Louis Freeh’s scathing findings for the university on the scandal in levying the landmark sanctions last July.

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Among the penalties were a four-year bowl ban; steep scholarship cuts; and a $60 million fine. The NCAA also vacated 111 wins from Paterno’s record, meaning he would no longer hold the title of major college football’s winningest coach.

Freeh accused Paterno and three former university officials of concealing allegations against Sandusky, a retired defensive coordinator. Sandusky was sentenced to at least 30 years in prison after being convicted last year of dozens of criminal counts of abuse, including allegations on and off campus.

Paterno died in January 2012. His family and the former school officials have vehemently denied they took part in a cover-up.

The suit is designed “to redress the NCAA’s 100 percent adoption of the Freeh Report and imposition of a binding consent decree against Penn State University. The reality is that consent decree was imposed through coercion and threats behind the scenes and there was no ability for anyone to get redress,” Sollers told Costas.

“There was no board approval, there was no transparency, and there was no consideration of this consent decree.”

The NCAA said Wednesday it had not received any such lawsuit and could not comment.

“Despite our request, the Paterno family has not shared any information about its planned legal action,” chief legal officer Donald Remy said. “We remain committed to working with Penn State toward the continued successful completion of our voluntary agreement with the university and to working” with the NCAA’s independent monitor, former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell.

Penn State spokesman Dave La Torre said the school itself was not a party to any lawsuit that might be filed by the Paterno family and remained committed to “full compliance” to the sanctions.

“We look forward to continuing to work with Sen. George Mitchell and recognize the important role that intercollegiate athletics provides for our student athletes and the wider university community,” said the statement from La Torre.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett has also filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA, which has also faced criticism for a botched investigation of Miami and departures in the enforcement division.